


Preceded by Chaos

by RomeoandAntoinette



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Implied Sexual Content, Marriage, Pregnancy, Revelation Route, Tumblr Ask Box Fic, Wedding Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-09-04
Updated: 2019-03-02
Packaged: 2019-07-07 01:17:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15897948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RomeoandAntoinette/pseuds/RomeoandAntoinette
Summary: "The course of true love never did run smooth." [A series of Corrin/Jakob prompt requests from Tumblr.] [Jokamu] [Fluff]





	1. I'm Pregnant

**Author's Note:**

> This was an anonymous request on Tumblr! Simply enough, the prompt is, "I'm pregnant."

“I’m pregnant.”

The statement fell from Corrin’s mouth. She didn’t add any of her usual, giddy flourishes to the statement. For once, the situation at hand was one that wouldn’t benefit from her usual bouts of optimism.

As soon as the phrase left her lips, she hated the sound of it. It wasn’t the words she disliked, but the delivery. It sounded so sterile and so lifeless, almost as if she was discussing a diagnosis instead of an exciting, life-changing announcement. It sounded so stoic and lacking compared to how she truly felt.

At least the bedroom mirror that she’d confessed to was very understanding.

The princess knew it was in her best interest to find a better way to phase the life-changing news to her husband. Practicing different options in front of a mirror was a decent help.

What _wasn’t_ helpful was the situation surrounding the otherwise wonderful occasion.

Corrin was a princess locked in a war between the nations of Nohr and Hoshido, although she knew them better as the nation that had raised her and the nation that had birthed her, respectively. She had many family members from both polarized sides that she loved, others she resented and even more that longed to learn more about. However, her feelings were but a speck of dust in the swirling whirlwind of destruction that ruthlessly dragged the two countries across each other’s borders for grand, blood-soaked battles.

While the two sides battled for dominance in a destined, age-old conflict that spanned back to people and places far more outstanding than she could even begin to imagine, Corrin knew her decision to flee both families was a small crux amidst a flurry of larger, otherworldly conflicts.

Part of her longed to console her anxiety-ridden self with the notion that she was merely one small player in the effort. She tried to convince herself that it was irrationally selfish for her to see only herself as the protagonist in such a large, fateful affair. After all, she was just one woman. One very small, lonely girl who had grown up with nothing.

And yet, that was also part of the conundrum causing her such turmoil.

Corrin was almost completely alone, and yet, she was facing an entire world. To say the odds were stacked against her would insinuate that there was even a chance of her success at all.

Not only was she leading a very small army against two national forces, both of which she was heavily acquainted with, but she was also a warrior on the battlefield. If her allies rode into the fray, Corrin followed suit with her blazing Yato and Dragonstone. She never sent her allies into danger that she wasn’t prepared to follow them into.

One ally, she was particularly close to.

Jakob, her retainer and faithful companion since childhood, had made the decision to follow her into the war.

In fact, he hadn’t even needed prompting to choose her side. When they’d reunited on a split battlefield following a lethal encounter at the Bottomless Canyon that forever swallowed one of their most precious allies, Gunter, she’d confessed to him that she couldn’t pick a side after all.

He hadn’t yelled at her or berated her indecisiveness. Instead, he’d rubbed his temple, gathered his nerves, and vowed to stay by her side.

That was the end of the matter. From that day forward, his loyalty was unconditional and never a topic of debate.

From that point on, the two fought waves of enemies together.

The two jumped into the Bottomless Canyon together.

The two spent time helping each other with chores in the astral plane together.

Although they’d spent almost a decade not knowing it, they adored each other. Then, one day, they found out just how much that was true. Following a series of awkward encounters under the façade of tea-brewing lessons, the two had shared a belated confession.

From there, the two became engaged shortly after and were informally married. That night, and many nights and days onward, the two shared much more than just kisses.

Now, she had to break the news to him. The literal climax of their relationship had culminated into a very small bump on her abdomen. The gnawing feeling Corrin got at the sight of the development added additional fuel to a burning suspicion that spearheaded many nauseous days and sleepless nights.

When Corrin missed her menses the first time, she chalked it up to stress. It had happened before, after all. Nobody would have been able to blame her. It also could have explained some other symptoms she had, such as her change in appetite and sleep schedule, as well. She’d pushed the oddity aside and gone back to developing battle tactics and perfecting her combat skills.

The second month she missed her period, she saw a medic.

It had been tempting to run to Elise or Sakura, but she’d ultimately reached out to Nyx. The mature woman was able to treat Corrin’s questions with poise and experience that she suspected neither of her younger sisters would have been able to offer her. Not that she could blame them for that.

When she witnessed Nyx press a talisman to her belly and saw the rose quartz gem sparkle to life with a golden light, she knew. There was no denying it. Her gut instinct was confirmed.

It hadn’t taken her long to come to terms with the development. It wasn’t as if she was surprised, given her very loving and very _active_ relationship with her husband. Although they’d never specifically mentioned the possibility of having a child, it wasn’t as if the notion had provided a halt to any of their romantic encounters.

Clearly.

After some deep-breathing that helped push her through the thin veneer of apprehension and self-doubt, she felt a glorious happiness soar through her.

The idea of being a mother invigorated her and filled her with a renewed sense of purpose that she hadn’t felt so powerfully since the war first began.

Upon finding out that she was expecting, she’d wanted to rush out of Nyx’s chambers and find Jakob as soon as possible. She wanted to sprint into his arms, hoist him up into the air, and scream to the world that they were going to be parents together. Everyone in the kingdom needed to hear from her that she and her wonderful, amazing husband were going to have a baby.

Just before she’d tried to run from the chamber, Nyx called her name. The mature tone of her voice snapped her out of her ecstatic daydreams.

“Be careful, child,” Nyx had warned her with a sad smile. The legitimate concern in her voice had forced Corrin to a halt in the spellcaster’s doorway. She added softly, “Remember. All wonderful things tend to be preceded by chaos.”

The advice had been sobering.

Just like that, the reality of the war crushed her again. The weightlessness she felt was gone and was replaced with the heaviness of reality. Newfound apprehension and anxiety were injected back into her veins, numbing her limbs and robbing them of her usual strength. The dazing revelation threatened to lull her back beneath the surface of paralyzing indecision.

She knew she needed to tell Jakob soon. She also knew she needed to be frank, but also tactical in her delivery. It wasn’t as if Jakob hadn’t fainted in response to news before. To say she had to be deliberate with her approach was the understatement of the millennium.

In the end, she figured it would be best to just get the words out and let him react.

As excited as Corrin was, she knew how rushing into the announcement too fast would disorient anyone, including Jakob.

_Especially Jakob._

She knew the news might come across as bittersweet to him, especially considering his own experiences as a child. He’d mentioned many times during their courtship that, in his darkest moments, he wished his parents would have never conceived him just to bring him into a world of misery, abuse, and neglect. He wondered why he was even alive in the first place, and even more disturbingly, he debated if he was even worthy of a life that caused so many other to turn away from him.

The sentiment had broken her heart at the time, but since their proposal and joyful marriage, she’d yet to hear any more grim declarations out of him.

However, the unpleasant memory had caused her to take a pause.

What would her husband think about bringing a child into a world ravaged by war? Would he feel elation like her? Or, would he…?

She shook the distracting thoughts away from her face as if they were cobwebs. She couldn’t bear to think about that. What was most important, before she entertained any other hypothetical outcomes in her imagination, was to actually tell him.

The best way to break the news to him was still a mystery.

Hence the shut bedroom door and the use of the mirror as a prop in her one-woman production. Corrin decided to use it to test a range of reactions, voices and even scripted confessions to make sure she could give him the news as perfectly as possible.

“My darling, I have the best news to tell you,” she asked the mirror, a wide grin splitting her reflection. “I’m pregnant! Oh, isn’t it just wonderful?”

She paused to weigh the impact of the words before sighing. No, it was too forced, even for her. Corrin crossed her arms studiously and decided to take another approached.

“I have to tell you something,” she said, using a softer tone of voice this time. “I’ve had a feeling for a while, but now I’m certain. I’m…we’re going to have a baby.”

Again, she didn’t like the phasing. It beat around the bush too much.

“Ugh…” Corrin said, slumping her head against the reflective surface with a dull thud. “This is so difficult. Why is it so hard to just tell him that I’m pregnant?”

“You’re _what?_ ”

Corrin’s eyes snapped to the reflection of the bedroom door in the mirror, there, she saw her husband Jakob standing mid-entry in the doorway.

One of his hands was clenching the doorknob when his other arm was bent at the waist to hold his folded coat. It appeared he’d returned to the room following his chores to relax for a bit, resulting in the removal of his heavy butler’s coat and sharp gauntlets.

She must have not heard the door creaking open. As for why he hadn’t knocked, that made sense. He’d entered his own bedchamber, after all.

A numbing sensation crept along her cheeks and she knew without glazing at her reflection that her face had blanched. Then again, she noticed instantly Jakob looked even paler than she was. The only color that she could immediately discern on his shocked expression was the vibrant shade of lavender in his eyes, which seemed to pop even more than usual against his moonlight-colored hair and complexion.

At the moment, both amethyst orbs were wide and unblinking.

“Jakob,” she gasped, the mirror forgotten as she spun around to face her husband in the doorway. “I’m so sorry! I didn’t hear you come in.”

He didn’t acknowledge her apology.

“Corrin, what did you just say?” he asked again, his tone unusually stiff. Without waiting for a reply, he stepped into the room and shut the door behind him.

While his eyes were wide with panic, he didn’t look angry or fearful. There was an anxious air to his flustered movements, but the slight crinkle in the corner of the eyes conveyed an emotion Corrin would never cite as negative. When she saw his eyes upturn at the way her hands were resting on her stomach, the mysterious expression on his visage became clear to her. He’d had the same look on his face when she’s requested his hand in marriage.

The man was _hopeful._

“Are you…pregnant?” he asked, the words barely audible.

There was no turning back. Things were hardly going as planned, but if nothing else, it seemed that was a common theme for the entire situation. There was nothing left to do but embrace it.

“…Yes,” she said, pausing for only a moment to exhale her pent-up stress. She was aggravated at herself for letting the secret out early, and also for delivering it with such tasteless informality. She’d wanted it to be a much more special moment, not an accidental one.

However, one look at Jakob’s elated face immediately extinguished all her negative emotions.

Without warning, he tossed his jacket and gauntlets to the floor. He crossed the room in no less than three strides, took her shoulders and brought her into his arms swiftly. The sound of his loud, jovial laughter made her heart leap from her chest.

“You’re really pregnant?” he repeated again as if he couldn’t believe it. Despite his hesitation to accept the statement so easily, he rushed to her side without missing a beat.

He took his hands into his, holding them between their bodies. Even though he held her hands gently with a featherlight touch, she could feel just how much he was shaking. Slowly, his thumbs skimmed the edges of her trembling, battle-worn fingers.

He asked again in a trembling voice, “Really? Are you sure?”

There was so much she wanted to say, but the joy on his face robbed her of rational thought. Everything she’d planned on telling him and painstakingly scripted inside head flew from her mind in an instant.

Instead, she flashed him a smile and yelled with equal passion, _“Yes!”_

The look of hope on his face became one of unbridled passion at her confirmation. He let out another laugh before sweeping her off her feet and back into his arms, where he twirled her about the room like a madman. Seeing Jakob, who was almost always a picture of rigid formality, completely giddy was happiness never ceased to warm Corrin’s entire body.

Without thinking, she began to dot kisses on every inch of his beaming face.

“I’m sorry,” she apologized again as he pulled her into another clumsy embrace. “This isn’t how I wanted you to find out! I was trying to plan something better, and I…”

The words were cut off by Jakob’s lips covering her mouth in a joyful, passionate kiss. She melted into the touch instantly, and her fingers dug into the thin material of his shirt.

Upon pulling away, they stared into each other’s lovesick eyes dreamily. 

“I’m _not_ sorry,” he said huskily, chuckling nervously as he knifed his fingers anxiously through his hair. “Gods, you’re having a baby!”

“ _We’re_ having a baby,” she corrected tenderly. She took his hand and gently guided it to her belly. It seemed like a silly gesture since her bump was nonexistent and there was nothing to feel yet, but the act brought additional wetness to Jakob’s eyes.

“I can’t believe it,” he whispered. Before he went to embrace her again, she stopped short and violently lurched back as if her fingertips had scorched him “Wait! I didn’t even think. Is it okay that I’m hugging you? Am I hurting you?”

Corrin had to purse her lips to try and smother a laugh at his flurry of questions. It was such an adorable sight, after all. She barely managed a nob before Jakob puffed a cheek out at her silent teasing.

“You know what I mean!” Jakob replied in almost shrill embarrassment.

The second time, Corrin failed miserably at keeping a straight face.

He was frazzled for only a moment before a mischievous glint appeared in his violet gaze. His ungloved hands slid down her body to her sides. Without warning, he easily lifted her into the air, high above his head where he felt she always belonged.

Careful to not put any pressure on her belly, he spun her in circles around the bedroom, causing her hair and skirts to swirl behind her. As soon as she began to roar with gleeful laughter, he let his grip go lax and urged her to fall back into the safety of his arms. She collapsed into his embrace willingly, but not before making sure her mouth landed squarely atop his on her descent. The action brought Jakob to a stop and stilled his movements as their mouths met over and over.

As he backed away, he felt his legs hit the back the edge of the mattress. With an extra squeeze to reassure Corrin was held in place atop him, he fell back onto their shared bed with a soft thump. She followed him with a loud squeal of delight, and then, a mirthful sigh of content.

For a few precious moments, the two laid together in a tangle of limbs and loving caresses.

“So…are you happy?” Corrin asked softly, just to be sure.

“I’m the happiest I’ve ever been in my life,” he replied without missing a beat. She felt him press a kiss against her forehead while his hand went to stroke her hair, slowly easing out the tangles that had most likely formed during their playful dance around the bedroom.

Even in their most intimate moments, he still doted on her, just like the loyal butler he was.

“Are _you_ happy?’ he asked her after a few moments.

“I never dreamed I could be so happy,” she replied with equivalent haste. “You should have seen me when I found out! I think I jumped high enough to touch the ceiling.”

He laughed loudly and wrapped her in another tender, but not smothering, embrace. It was as if he couldn’t bear to let her go for even an instant.

“Gods, Corrin,” he finally sighed, raising another hand to his eyes to blot away the wetness that had formed on his lashes. “We’re going to be _parents_.”

She nodded tearfully in his arms. The woman longed to form words and tell him just how absolutely thrilled and terrified she was of everything that was to come, but when she tried to move her lips, she realized there wasn’t a series of sentiments she could string together that would even come close to conveying the emotion she truly felt.

Instead, she bent her head down to the thin sliver of exposed chest his open shirt provided. There, she gently kissed his thudding heartbeat.

Through the thin linen of his dress shirt, she could feel every heave of his chest and every beat of his heart without inhibition. He was excited, happy and _absolutely alive_ beneath the weight of her body.

“It won’t be easy,” she finally said. The ability to form words hit her again just as she heard echoing swordplay from outside the bedchamber’s open window. It seemed her troops were already busy training for the next battle on the practice grounds, located a few floors below.

It was a dull reminder that even if it felt as if time had stopped for them, that the rest of the world was marching on mercilessly just outside their bedroom door.

“I know it won’t,” he said, moving his hands from stroking her hair to caressing the delicate bumps of her spine. “No doubt about that. There are certainly many challenges before us.”

“And we’re going to have so much to talk about,” she said again, her fear muffled by another ear-to-ear grin.

“I couldn’t agree more,” he replied with a nod. “Corrin, if I was going through this with anyone else, I must confess…I feel I’d be terrified beyond words.”

“And so, how do you feel now?’ she asked breathlessly.

“ _Absolutely petrified_ beyond words,” he replied with a pleased sigh.

When Corrin couldn’t help but laugh in agreement at his deadpan truthfulness, he reached out again and cupped her cheek. Almost by reflex, she leaned into his warm and calloused touch. Inch by inch, she drifted ever closer to his face.

He continued fondly, “But there’s nobody I’d rather face this challenge with.”

Corrin placed a kiss on his wrist as a mute testimony of her unconditional agreement.

“We’ll be fine,” she added softly. “We’re together, after all. We’ve made it this far, right? We’ll keep at it together, no matter how big our family grows.”

Lavender eyes met sanguine ones. Wordlessly, the two leaned forward and met each other for another long, fervent kiss that even the loud clanging of swords couldn’t distract them from.

Perhaps it was true that all wonderful things in the world were preceded by chaos. Then again, Corrin thought, perhaps that was part of what made life worth living in the first place.


	2. Tell Me a Secret

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> One day at the Northern Fortress, Corrin delivers a secret letter to Jakob. The little girl tells the boy that he can only open the letter on a day when she's wearing roses in her hair. As promised, Jakob keeps the letter sealed until the fateful day arrives over ten years later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to Persorene on Tumblr for this really fun prompt! The prompt also stated that the pairing could be 'Jokamu' or 'young Jokamu'...so, I decided to do both!

“Jakob! Hey, Jakob!”

The sound of his own name brought the young boy to a halt. It was impossible to ignore any sound within in the tall, stone-clad walls of the Northern Fortress. The facility was so vacant of both inhabitants and other assets that the acoustics amplified every sound to obnoxiously high levels.

Even if the person trotting behind him hadn’t called his name, the large, echoing halls of the fortress would have tipped him off to the sound of her footfalls eventually.

“Ah, Lady Corrin,” the young boy said, bowing his head to her as she dashed down the citadel’s hallway to greet him.

 The young servant was about ten years old and had lived inside the Northern Fortress for a few years. As such, he’d become accustomed to the princess calling for his attention out of the blue. In fact, she was the only person who could do such a thing and not earn his agitation or passive-aggressive dismissal.

If she called his name, he always answered.

“What’s wrong?” he asked her, raising from his bow once she caught up to him. As she snapped into his usual attentive posture, the ends of his pale, pageboy-cut hair flicked his cheeks. His eyes, large and lavender in color, became a little softer while speaking to her. After all, she was a good friend.

He still recalled the day, mere weeks after his abandonment, when Corrin had saved his life by refusing to let the other servants toss him onto the streets. The memory was a few years old but was still as fresh in his mind as if it had happened mere hours before.

Originally, he’d merely felt indebted to the naïve girl. He’d originally concurred that she must have saved him on a childish, impulsive whim.

Now, he regarded her with increased fondness after spending more time with her. In that time, he’d learned how genuinely caring and sweet she was. He enjoyed reading storybooks with her and serving her favorite blends of tea. The best days were when he could stay for a bit and talk with her about little things, like the types of flowers that bloomed in the garden or what their dreams had been nights before. Sometimes they talked about their nightmares, and he liked those conversations the least.

Thankfully, as he watched her cross the hall to meet him, the young girl wore a wide grin on her face. It seemed that she was in a pleasant mood, which boded well for the likely topics of conversation.

Corrin barreled over to him and rushed to catch her breath. She asked breathlessly with her hands gripping her knees, “Jakob, I’m sorry, are you busy right now?”

“I was just going to fetch the laundry,” he said coolly. “It can wait a moment.”

Even though he was merely a boy, he spoke with maturity beyond his years already. The habit earned him sneers and eye-rolls from the other fortress staff members. Corrin was the only one who didn’t seem to mind.

Following his reply, she laughed sweetly in anticipation. The girl was still trying to steady her breathing, her pale curls bouncing with each soothing inhale and subsequent exhale. “Good! I promise I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to give you something.”

Jakob cocked his head at her in confusion. Before he would inquire what exactly she meant, the young girl had already reached into the sash of her simple dress. A moment later, she produced a letter in her overturned hand. The envelope was sealed crudely with unstamped, gold wax. The paper itself was also yellowed and somewhat torn at the edges.

“It’s…a letter?” Jakob asked, squinting as he looked at the neatly folded square in her hand.

She nodded quickly, her curls bouncing again. Even the satin ribbon she always used to tie her hair back couldn’t contain the wild locks. New strands sprung free of their binding with every swing of her head.

She said merrily, “It’s for you!”

“For me?” he asked. Jakob studied the parchment again before gently turning it over in his hands a few times. His eyes carefully scanned every inch of the letter.

“I’m confused. Who is it from?”

“It’s from me, of course!” Corrin replied sweetly. “It seemed silly to address it though since I wanted to deliver it to you myself.”

When she nodded again, he slowly reached out to take the letter.

“I’m still confused,” Jakob said blatantly. “You wrote this letter, right? We’re talking right now. Couldn’t you just…um, tell me instead of writing it in a letter? A letter that you’re _also_ delivering to me in person.”

Corrin’s expression changed suddenly. She swiveled her head back and forth, scanning the area around them for any other unseen presences that could possibly disturb them. Jakob watched in silence as she surveyed the hall and listened keenly with her odd, but cute, pointed ears for any footsteps or hushed voices.

When she seemed certain they were alone, she turned back to Jakob.

“It’s a secret,” she told him.

She lifted a petite finger to her pursed lips and made a shushing gesture.

His brow furrowed obviously. The statement clearly didn’t remedy his confusion.

Then, as he went to break the wax seal, she suddenly reached out and grabbed his wrist, “Wait! I just told you that it was a secret!”

“So?’ he asked dumbly.

“ _So_ , you can’t open it now.”

The young servant blinked at Corrin, now even more baffled than before.

“Why would you deliver a secret letter to me that I can’t even open?” he asked. The tone of his belabored question was more inquisitive than angry, but his burning curiosity added an urgency that wasn’t unnoticed by Corrin. In fact, her sweet smile turned into a frown as she crossed her arms and studied him from beneath her bangs diligently.

“You can’t open it _now_ ,” she clarified.

The next question fell from his lips gracelessly. “When can I open it then?”

The girl suddenly became more bashful and gigglier than before. Her cheeks bloomed pink as she explained, “You can only open the letter on a day when I’m wearing roses in my hair.”

“Roses?” he asked cluelessly. The tiny butler then unsteadily lifted himself onto his tiptoes to double-check the top of the princess’s head and the back of her haphazardly done ponytail. Sure enough, there were no roses. Just as he’d originally thought.

“Well, when will that be?” Jakob asked with a slight whine. The princess couldn’t hide the surge of thrill that she felt from causing Jakob, who was almost always the picture of composure, to display impatience. Her shoulders hitched sharply as another laughing fit threatened to consume her.

“You’ll have to wait and see!” Corrin replied, lifting a hand into the air daintily. After a few twirls, the tip of her finger landed atop the bridge of Jakob’s nose, where she tapped playfully before darting away.

Just as Jakob began to register the sound of approaching footsteps and the conversing of voices, Corrin had taken off down the hall. No doubt the girl had snuck out of her room without permission and had to rush back before her absence was discovered. The fact that the princess would take such a risk to deliver him such a secret letter made him even more curious as to what was inside.

Months earlier, he would have just broken the seal and opened the damned thing without any regrets.

Now, he felt compelled to honor her request. She had told him to wait, and as such, had placed unmistakable trust in him. Although the boy’s curiosity burned bright, his loyalty to his princess blazed more.

He vowed then and there to keep her promise.

As the footsteps became louder, Jakob quickly hid the letter inside his chemise before it could be discovered. Just as he’d concealed the paper, two staff members on rounds turned the corner and started down the hall, faces lax with cool indifference.

As he stashed the letter, he also thought to reach for a kerchief that he carried in one of his pockets as part of his uniform.

The small butler assumed the role of polishing a nearby credenza with almost suspicious focus until the other servants had vacated the hall. Only then did he take the opportunity to dash back to his room and place the letter beneath his mattress for safekeeping.

The letter remained unread for over a decade.

* * *

Preparations for the wedding passed speed and grace that few had anticipated.

The established peace between Nohr and Hoshido had rung in a new era of amity for the previously warring kingdoms. Their respective kings could now welcome a new era of relations and solidarity. For Corrin, the newly designated queen of Valla, it was merely the start of a journey that would revolve around lifting a kingdom from a tragic past and into a promising future.

The very start of that journey would also begin with an official wedding to her fiancée and longtime retainer.

Everyone in the kingdom, visitors and otherwise, was in a tizzy during the days leading up to the ceremony. The palace in Valla was decorated with pounds of flowers and sprawling garlands for as far as the eye could see, making the air thick with perfume as the ground soft from the abundance of fallen petals. Every inch of the castle was cleaned and each guest rooms was dressed in the finest linens and commodities to welcome the onslaught of new guests flooding to the kingdom of Valla.

The ceremony was held in the palace’s royal hall. At the end of the hall, the Queen’s throne presided on a platform overlooking the corridor. The grand space allowed for plenty of room to seat the royal visitors from all three kingdoms, who all mingled peacefully and visited freely between the aisles prior to the ceremony.

By the time Jakob was escorted to the front of the hall by the army’s most renowned knight, Silas, Corrin wasn’t far behind. She was led along by her little sister Elise, who has been one of Corrin’s first allies on her journey for peace years ago. Now, the pigtailed girl was using one hand to blot away her tears with a pale-pink handkerchief, and the other was hooked around her big sister’s elbow.

Jakob was unable to look away.

The sight of the woman he loved more than life itself, dressed in layers of swan feather down and iridescent silk, was humbling beyond words for him. He felt elated, undeserving and anxious all at once, but there wasn’t a force in the entire universe that could have forced his eyes away from her. In a room full of people, everyone else seemed to vanish around her.

There was just Corrin.

While the ivory-color of her gown perfectly matched her candle-light colored locks, the pale color called attention to something else in Corrin’s ensemble that caused his eyes to widen.

In her pale updo was a crown of lavender and coral-colored roses.

After giving a quick kiss to her little sister and giving her a gentle push to join Camilla at her designated position near the throne, Corrin finally began the ascent to her throne. When her eyes met his and she saw the mischievous glimmer in his lavender gaze, she bit her lips to conceal a smile and snuck her gloved hand into his.

Jakob gave her palm a little extra squeeze.

Misty-eyed from her radiance, he couldn’t resist leaning forward to place a kiss on Corrin’s cheek. The gesture elicited a predictable coo from the audience, plus a loud wolf whistle that was undoubtedly Niles’s doing.

Before pulling away, his lips caressed the shell of her ear. He whispered to her, _“You little sneak.”_

It was Corrin’s turn to give his hand a squeeze, her thumb slowly running along the edge of Jakob’s hand in an act of secret affection that he, and only he, could experience.

Vows and rings were shared. The whole affair lasted mere minutes compared to how long their courtship had been. Judging by the weepiness of some audience members, the more serious part of the ceremony couldn’t have ended soon enough. When the couple shared a chaste kiss that sealed their matrimony in the eyes of the three kingdoms, the response from the attendees was overwhelmingly positive. They’d barely pulled apart from their embrace before a throng of family and friends descended upon them.

A shower of rose petals rained down upon the duo as Corrin intertwined her fingers with Jakob’s and proceeded to lead him down the aisle. While the standard procedure would have been for her to officially take her seat atop the throne as the nation’s new Queen, in a way, Azura had already assisted her with that right of passage immediately following the defeat of Anankos.

Due to the fact that she'd already undergone an abbreviated version of the ceremony, Corrin felt that such a display would have been too self-indulgent. At least, for the moment.

The queen instead pulled her husband along behind her, followed by a parade of salutations and blown kisses, as they departed for their private bedroom. Behind them, groups of maids and other servants rushed to clear the hall so that the area could be cleaned, and all the guests could be properly herded to the reception area for a small feast and a night full of joyful, slightly boozy dancing.

The couple knew couldn’t skip the royal reception, no matter how much they longed to do so.

Still, she knew they had at least a little bit of time before they had to make their grand entrance.

Stumbling back to their private bedroom in a clumsy and giggly embrace, the two barely managed to unlock the floor-to-ceiling doors and push their way through.

One Corrin had latched the lock on the corridor, Jakob returned to her side and stole another kiss from her lips. This time, the meeting was less virtuous than the formal kiss they’d shared at the altar. This time, lips were bitten and whispers turned to moans with ease.

“Easy, my love,” Corrin purred, hands working the buttons of his jacket. Her voice almost dripped with romance novel-sensuality as she cooed, “We have all night, and if you keep kissing me so well, I’m afraid I might not last until sunset.”

It was difficult for him to smother his laughter as Corrin’s unusually formal statement, but alas, he agreed wholeheartedly with the sentiment behind her joking remark.  

“Unfortunately, you’re right,” he said with a sigh, backing away with a sigh of whimsy rather than any form of reluctance. “Better to forgo anything too mischievous until there are no interruptions.”

“And no need to change clothes again,” she added with a snap, and Jakob couldn’t help but toss her a smirk of mutual agreement.

She stretched her arms over her head un an exaggerated yawn before lowering her palms to her lower back to give her joints a satisfying crack after hours of standing perfectly poised and upright. Around Jakob, she didn’t have to worry about enforcing such strict protocol.

“I do need a looser dress though,” she huffed. “Corsets seems unwise for trying to enjoy wedding cake.”

“Couldn’t agree more,” he chuckled, undoing the rest of his jacket’s buttons with delicate flicks of his fingers.

Slowly, Corrin reached behind her midsection to tug down the zipper of her gown. The relief of pressure was immediate, and she sighed in relief as she opened her wardrobe to survey what less restrictive gown she would wear to the event.

However, she was also aware that the two had some time before the reception. It wasn’t much, but they could easily steal a few moments together. Corrin was more than happy to take advantage of the narrow window with as much fervor as possible.

There was still a royal reception they had to get to. As much as she longed for it, they could spend the entire evening kissing in each other’s arms. Not yet.

“So,” Jakob said, his gloved hand moving up and down the silk lapels of his jacket as he popped the buttons and slid the material from his wide shoulders. “May I open it now?”

Corrin threw him an inquisitive stare, but before she could produce a question, he reached into the pocket of his jacket and produced a small, yellowed square of parchment with a tarnished seal.

The sight brought Corrin to a temporary halt.

“How did you know to bring the letter to the wedding?” Corrin asked sincerely, her face shimmering with delight as she crossed the chamber to meet him. “I made sure nobody else knew about the roses to make sure it was a secret.”

“We just became husband and wife,” he reminded her with a chuckle. Her hand wandered to her chin as he nudged her face upward to meet him. His eyes connected with hers and caused a flush of warmth to spread across his cheeks. “I like to think I know you quite well.”

Corrin was helpless to argue with his logic. Not that she wanted to in the first place.

“I can’t believe you didn’t open the letter, even after ten years,” Corrin said, raising her arms to loop them around his neck. Her fingers formed a gloved lattice at the back of his neck that slowly pulled him down to her level. “I knew I was right to trust you, Jakob.”

Praise always had a funny effect on Jakob. Compared to every other form of flattery he’d received about her perfectionism and his pristinely composed persona, Corrin’s favorable comments were the only ones that never ceased to get a rise out of him. Metaphorically and literally.

“You may open the letter,” she added with a soft nod, placing a kiss on his cheek.

“Now?” he asked incredulously. “Are you certain? It can wait, my love. There’s no need to rush.”

“No, I think it’s the perfect time,” Corrin admitted enthusiastically, her petticoats crinkling as she lifted her dress to assume a spot next to him on the bed. “I don’t even remember what I wrote! I mean, I remember the secret, but nothing else. It was so long ago. I’m kind of curious to see what else ten-year-old me was so anxious to tell you!”

With her blessing, Jakob somehow managed to tear himself from her embrace. It was an arduous effort, but the overwhelming sense of curiosity was the final nail on the proverbial coffin of their forlorn, long-gone childhoods.

After years of waiting and anticipation, it took but a small tug to crack the wax seal. He unfolded the parchment and read the words within swiftly.

_“Dear Jakob,_

_“If you’re reading this, congratulations! You kept your promise. I knew you could do it. Felicia and Flora said that you wouldn’t listen…but I knew better!”_

The syntax of the letter was noticeably novice, and her handwriting was an odd mix between print and cursive that required a few extra glances to adequately decipher.

He chuckled loudly and gave her a look out of the corner of his eye. “Very cute.”

She slapped his shoulder playfully and urged him to keep reading. After mumbling a half-hearted apology, he cleared his throat and pressed onward.

_“I have a secret, but I’m too shy to tell you. I asked Gunter, and he told me to write down my feelings. So, I did. Here they are!_

_“I like you, Jakob. A lot. More than I love my siblings, or anyone else. I want to get married to you someday, and maybe we can even have kids! I’d love to have kids, but only if you want them too. That’s what people who are in love do._

_“I want to be with you forever because being with you makes me happy! But I know that you aren’t always happy. But that’s okay. If we get married, I swear that I’m going to make you happy every day. Because you’re my best friend._

_“Want to know a secret? I haven’t told this to anyone else. I’ve always wanted to wear roses on my wedding day. Princesses and princes wear them all the time in the books we read. So, if I get married to you, I’m going to wear roses in my hair, so that we’ll look just like the prince and princess in the stories we read._

_“I hope when I ask you to marry me that you’ll say yes. If you don’t, that’s okay too. All that matters to me is that you’re happy._

_“Love, Corrin.”_

Jakob’s eyes softened as he reread the letter over again and again. He was so entranced with the words on the page that he didn’t register the feeling of Corrin’s fist tightening about his sleeve, drawing the fabric tight around his arm.

“Wow,” Corrin finally said, the word escaping like a breathy gasp.

“Agreed,” Jakob sighed, the corners of his mouth lifting into a soft smile. “Gods, you must have been so young when you wrong this.”

“I wrote the letter the same day I gave it to you,” she confirmed again with a nod. “Ten years ago.”

He chuckled softly before leaning into her, lifting an arm to wrap about her midsection. Corrin moved her shoulder and shifted her weight against him so he could draw their two bodies together. When she tucked her head under his chin, he dropped a kiss on her crown. The aroma of roses consumed her senses at the delicate touch.

“You planned this for ten years?” he asked her in quiet disbelief.

“I did,” she replied with a chuckle. “The big secret was…that I had a crush on you.”

“And…you only agreed to tell me this secret on our wedding day?” he asked again, slowly taking a coil of her hair into his hands, twirling it about in a seemingly aimless fashion.

“Yes.”

“You aren’t just a little sneak,” he growled as he tipped her body back into the bed. As she flew onto her back with a squeal of surprised delight, Jakob rolled atop her and barely held her wrists above her head. There was no real force behind the pin since Corrin was all too willing to allow the contact and had no struggle to fight back.

“You are a _conniving_ little sneak,” he said hotly against the flushed column of her throat.

When he placed a kiss against the pulsebeat of her neck, Corrin arched her back and gave a moan of pleasure. Suddenly, she was cursing the thick tulle skirt of her wedding and the distance it added between their two bodies.

“Yes, I am,” she replied, her voice more of a plea than an answer.

The sound of his deep laughter so close to the column of her neck stirred her heartbeat from a rhythmic pound into an anxious, drumming frenzy.

“Well, the secret that my _wife_ may be in love with me is out of the bag,” Jakob said with a laugh. “Who could have predicted such a turn of events?”

Although he spoke casually, it was clear to Corrin that it caused Jakob great difficulty to say the word ‘wife’ with a straight face. It was almost as if he found the statement too good to be true. Like, if he dared to speak too loudly, he’d wake up from the dream.

Almost subconsciously, Corrin loosened one of her hands from Jakob’s grip with ease and lifted in skyward to caress his cheek. His skin was hot to the touch, and he melted against the gesture almost immediately, silver lashes fluttering shut as a sigh plumed from his lips.

She wanted him to know, without a doubt, that everything around them was real. Perhaps, on the same level, she also longed for the same certainty. There were many nights when she’d stirred from her sleep, sometimes screaming and sometimes writhing in need, and immediately wishing Jakob was there with her.

“What a perfect ending to a ten-year mystery,” he admitted, lowering his forehead until it gently pressed against hers. As his face drew closer to hers, the aroma of roses began to consume him once again.

Slowly, his head tilted for a better angle that allowed Corrin’s head to roll languidly to meet his. Their mouths met over and over in a slow, smoldering display of pent-up passion that had finally come to fruition.

“Sorry, my love,” he said with a sultry laugh. “I don’t have a secret to return to you. My only admission is that the love you feel for me is returned tenfold. A hundred-fold. A thousand-fold.”

“Jakob…”

“I apologize that my contribution is so mundane, especially when compared to your clever antics,” he said, his hand sliding down her arm. His thumb slowly grazed the velvety skin through the supple satin of her gown. “It’s a bit anticlimactic, I’m afraid.”

Corrin tossed her head back and offered him a cocky smile that erased the last shred of hesitation and self-doubt within him.

“I feel like I may have an even bigger _climax_ in mind instead,” Corrin teased with a wink. “You know, as a more fitting award for your patience.”

The word was punctuated with another soft sway of her hips against Jakob’s, her skirts crinkling with each movement. She heard his groan at the caress and felt her heart swell with pride at the idea that she had made Jakob, the picture of composure and indifference, make such an aroused sound.

“That is, as long as you don’t mind rushing a bit,” she sighed, dotting butterfly kissed down his neck as her fingers flew to untangle his cravat. “We do have a reception to get to, but I’m willing to make time if you can.”

Jakob was off the bed and across the bedchamber in an instant to kick the door shut and lock it tight.

* * *

 

Many guests wondered why it took the newly betrothed couple so long to arrive at the banquet. While guests like Niles and Reina cast each other knowing glances, attendees like Felicia and Hinata wondered if would be best to go check on the couple. After all, how long could it take them to change into a new set of clothes?

When the duo finally did arrive hand-in-hand to the event, the lipstick smudges on Jakob’s jaw and the way Corrin’s updo seemed to have mysteriously flattened at the back of her head caused a few attendees to lift their eyebrows over the rims of their wine glasses, while others were simply too distracted by the charming festivities to pay the oddities any mind.

It seemed the events that had transpired in the room would remain one of the many secrets shared only between the couple.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the second Jokamu wedding I’ve written, but both times, it’s been a somewhat abbreviated event. It’s never been the focus of its own story. I need to devote an entire fic to these two nerds tying the knot.
> 
> Anyway, thank you so much to Persorene again for requesting this prompt! This was a ton of fun to write. I hope it was half as fun to read, at least.
> 
> Next support: "Because I love you!"


	3. Because I Love You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corrin realizes why Jakob loves, and hates, patching her up after long battles.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was an anonymous request from Tumblr with the prompt, "because I love you!" This chapter has some cathartic angst with, as usual, a fluffy chaser and ending. This was a ton of fun to write, so to the anonymous user who sent the request, thank you so much for sending such a wonderful prompt. I sincerely hope I did it justice. 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Ouch!”

The sting of disinfectant prickled her skin with the intensity of a handful of needles.  It caused her to let out a hiss of distress that only petered out when the deep gash was enfolded with a soft slab of clean cotton.

“Corrin, I told you to hold still,” Jakob said as he taped the bandage down over her recently cleaned injury.

“I know you did, but it still hurt.”

“With all due respect, my love, it hurt more because you didn’t _hold still._ ”

His teasing reply earned him a sanguine glare. The look was meant to be harsh but lacked any real fire.

“How would the disinfectant hurt less if I held still?” Corrin asked, still squirming in discomfort as he continued to patch her up. She knew the injury had to be cleaned, but the awareness didn’t mean it was a pleasant experience to endure.

“It wouldn’t, but it would help me work faster so it would be over sooner,” Jakob replied promptly, still focused on her injury. He sealed the edges of the tape with a firm press of his thumb. However, he had to re-tape one of the sides due to the lack of adhesion from runny disinfectant.

Corrin pouted in place of a verbal objection. When it came to cool and composed logic, Jakob usually excelled more than anyone else in the army. Perhaps it was more of a fault than a talent on some occasions.

The newlywed couple usually bickered here and there, but they never argued to the point of shouting or animosity. Such had been the case ever since they’d first met as children.

Having grown up together through thick and thin, the two had mastered the art of communication to a point that greatly assisted in maintaining an open, honest, and loving relationship that wasn’t marred by bouts of hostile miscommunication.

The duo only truly fought if the controversial topic centered around each other’s safety on the battlefield.

Not so coincidentally, that was the exact reason that Jakob was currently tending to Corrin’s wounds in their private bedroom.

With a medical kit nearby, the two had rushed to their private quarters following a particularly nasty battle. The faint trail of blood leading from the door to their bed was still visible when Corrin glimpsed around the bedroom.

While the other healers used their magic on injured party members, Corrin always refused that any healing tomes be wasted on her. After all, the Dragonstone made her body especially strong. She knew she could take the more severe hits with a much higher chance of surviving than some of the other frailer members of their army.

As a result, Jakob kept medical supplies aplenty in their bedroom and always dressed her wounds after battles. Corrin was a fearless warrior and the leader of their army. As a result, she almost always had a few scrapes and cuts that needed extra attention. Jakob was more than willing to comply.

Corrin showed her complete thankfulness by providing the same help for Jakob.

After all, he was usually too busy healing others to tend to his own injuries. As a result, Corrin often dressed his wounds after long battles to make sure he wasn’t assuming his arduous list of butler duties while hiding any traces of discomfort or pain.

Usually, the act of tending to each other’s wounds was an affectionate exchange. Sometimes, if their injuries were mild enough, the act also led into further spells of bonding beneath the bedsheets.

However, it was the third time in three consecutive days that Corrin had crawled off the battlefield barely breathing and able to move. Jakob was far from pleased. His complete and utter worry was masked with a neutral expression of annoyance, but Corrin knew better.

Both had shed their padded armor and dressings in informal lumps in the floor. The trail of clothes led to their shared bed, where both individuals sat dressed in only their underclothes. Jakob, shirtless and adorned only in trousers, sat a few inches from Corrin. His eyes were hyper-focused on her body, not leaving the sight of her injuries even as his hands dug into the adjacent medical kit nearby to withdraw the appropriate amount of sanitized cotton and gauze.

After their latest battle, Jakob had rushed Corrin back to their room swiftly and addressed the most obvious injuries to her stomach and torso first, including a nasty incision that had been carved into her body just above her left breast. The area was tender, but adrenaline had dulled the pain long enough for Corrin to keep still. All the while, she had scooted closer to Jakob so they could share the medical kit while she patched up some more shallow but still dangerously vulnerable cuts. Many of them were on his legs and muscled abdomen, which didn’t have the privilege of being adorned with armor.

Then came the pesky injury on Corrin’s shoulder.

After about half an hour of mending other injuries, the warrior princess had grown antsy as the adrenaline started to wear off and the pain started to slowly seep into the pores of her beaten skin.

Jakob had insisted multiple times she should remain still for a few moments while he sterilized the nasty gash she had acquired on her shoulder. At the time, the bladed weapon had been so sharp that she hadn’t even noticed the way it had glided through her sinew and muscle like a knife through butter.

Now, she was not only acutely aware of the injury, but also her husband’s attitude.

“You weren’t so _short_ with me when we did this yesterday,” she huffed. She put her chin in her free and leaned forward to put her weight on her unbruised knee. Her lack of clothing, aside from her bra and underwear, highlighted the series of bloody bandages and purplish-black bruises that clouded her complexion.

Jakob offered her an impatient gaze. His usually vibrant eyes were half-lidded in worry and lack of amusement at her complete and obvious act of self-neglect. He synched the bandages tightly without breaking eye contact.

“I’m only being _brusque_ with you because this is the third day in a row that you have taken incredibly dangerous blows on the battlefield,” he said, swapping out her adjective with obvious disdain for the earlier implication.

“What do you want me to do, Jakob?” she asked, half-curious and half-annoyed all at once. “Do you think I shouldn’t protect the people in our army? They’re our friends and family. I can’t just stand idly by on the sidelines and demand that others fight for me.”

“I’m aware of that, darling,” Jakob retorted sharply. “That’s what worries me.”

A pause stretched between them. The silence allowed an opportunity for each other’s words to sink in with almost uncomfortable stillness. Only Jakob’s hands continued to move about as everything else in the room remained silent.

“Then, wait…what are you saying?” she asked, her tone relaxing a bit because of his reluctant acquiescence.

A sigh.

Then, a mumble.

Finally, Jakob’s hands stilled completely as he offered her a sincere confession unadorned of his usual stuffiness.

“I just…don't like seeing you get hurt,” he admitted, shifting his amethyst gaze away as if he knew that answer would sit well with the noble leader.

His prediction was correct.

“I know, but…” Corrin started, humbled by not dissuaded by his words, “What else can I do? What are my other options? It’s my responsibility to lead the army forward. I’d rather take the pain myself than risk losing you or anyone else.”

She felt Jakob pull the bandages taut. The action was so sudden and swift she thought it must have been a reflexive act on his part. She also heard him audible suck a breath between clenched teeth.

“Please don’t say things like that,” Jakob pleaded softly.

“It’s the truth,” she said with a sad smile. “At the end of the day, if anyone should have to fall on the battlefield, it should be me. Nobody else deserves it.”

“This war is _not_ your fault,” he replied quickly. His tone had deepened from its usual pitch into a low, almost growling baritone.

“The blame might not be completely mine to accept, but I undoubtedly share a piece of it,” she replied shortly. Her irritation from earlier has been rekindled.

“And for that ridiculous reason, you feel obligated to suffer?” he asked her, turning the tables quickly. “You feel you should resign yourself to possible death because of some damned obligation to a kingdom that has given you nothing?”

She was quite close to grabbing a robe and storming from the room until her husband regained some composure.

“Why are you dragging this out?” Corrin groaned in pitched exhaustion turning away from Jakob in a split-second fit of annoyance.

_“Because I love you!”_

Jakob’s voice had risen to a yell strident yell. The composed butler hardly ever raised his voice.

The swiftness of the reply knocked the breath out of Corrin’s lungs. She turned her head to glimpse Jakob’s expression and saw softness in his visage that hadn’t been as visible before.

“I…really, really worry about you,” he continued to confess. He released her arm and gently reached down to take one of Corrin’s hands into his own. She permitted the touch with a gentle nod and slipped her fingers between his. The gesture was a silent promise that she would stay and listen.

He squeezed her hand passionately between their two bodies.

Then, he took a deep breath and proceeded to speak.

“I _know_ you’re strong,” he began, the fondness in his eyes almost making Corrin go weak. “I _know_ you can take these terrible injuries in stride. I _know_ you feel like you have to bear the brunt of this war alone, but seeing you crawl off the battlefield and bleeding through your armor, gods Corrin, it kills me inside. I hate it. More than I hate anything else I’ve gone through in my life. More than my parents, more than the servants that tried to throw me out when I was a child, I hate seeing you hurt more than anything else.”

Before she could reply, he lifted a hand to politely request further silence while he pleaded his case.

“I know it’s unavoidable,” he said, closing his eyes. A dry laugh crackled through his throat like ash from a parched fire. “War is worse than any hellfire or brimstone because war pulls in the innocent without any regard. You don’t deserve this, Corrin. I know you’re facing these forces nearly alone, and I want to help you just like everyone else in the army does, but what you said is true.

“You’re our _leader._ You don’t have the privilege of backing down or playing it safe. You’re doing what you must do to push us forward toward peace. That strength makes you a goddess in my eyes.”

His cathartic confession, added on top of their heated discussion from early, was starting to also make her feel emotional.

She bit her lip to avoid sobbing. “Jakob…”

He shuddered uneasily before continuing. However, his grip on her hand never faltered.

“It also keeps me awake at night absolutely petrified because I have no idea what I would do if I lost you,” he finally said.

A mistiness touched his gaze, but he didn’t look away. Not this time.

“I love you so much, Corrin,” he told her, emotion gripping him finally. His voice vacillated to the point of breaking. “You deserve endless love and unparalleled adoration, and yet, you’re sitting before beaten and bloodied for the sake of a _war that isn’t even your damned fault._ You don’t deserve this suffering _”_

She didn’t know what to say. Hell, there was nothing she really could say. What she wanted to do was take his face in her hands, hold him close and promise him that nothing would ever break them apart.

She wanted desperately to tell him that, no matter what challenges they faced, they would be able to conquer it because they’d be together. Corrin wanted to look him in the eyes and tell him not to worry because everything would be okay in the end.

However, she knew she couldn’t do such a thing. She also knew Jakob wasn’t naïve enough to believe her if she tried to make such a foolish promise.

It was impossible to ignore that fact that the battles were becoming harder. There was no guarantee of everyone coming back alive.

Nobody could predict the future of their cause. Not even Corrin knew the outcome of the efforts.

As she mused over his impactful words, he took her lack of a reply as mute testimony that he was speaking the obvious and wasting their time.

“I’m…sorry for my outburst,” he said sheepishly as he backed away from her. “That was so selfish of me. How could I say those things to you? Corrin, I’m so…”

His apology was cut short by Corrin hopping up onto her knees and rushing into his arms. The force knocked Jakob onto his back and sent the medical kit onto the floor with a crash.

The sudden embrace also caused both to yelp in agony as their wounds were reopened and swollen bruises were agitated.

A symphony of ‘ow’s and pained moans filled the air as the two injured parties eased apart, chuckling lightly at the complete gracelessness of their union. Once they were a few inches apart and had finished seething from pain, they reconnected their gazes softly. There, she saw emotion still welled up in Jakob’s eyes. Tears rose to her own as she leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead.

“Jakob, I’m sorry,” she admitted with a whisper. Her lips trailed down to his jaw, where she placed another soft kiss against his stubble. The sensation assisted Corrin’s epiphany really had been fighting a lot. Jakob was hardly ever unshaven except when they endured long battles together or when he spent days and nights applying healing techniques to wounded troops.

In this case, he’d been doing both.

The wetness in his eyes flashed to shock as he shook his head frantically. “Nonsense! You have nothing to apologize for. I was too emotional and spoke out of turn. It was inappropriate of me.”

“But you’re right,” she replied. She shifted her weight gently to roll over his waist and lock her hips comfortably against his. When she gauged his reactions and safely determined the act caused him no pain and reached down and cupped his face softly.

“Jakob, you never cease to amaze me,” he confessed, her own voice struggling to stay calm as she spoke. “You know, I’m not the only one getting injured in these battles.”

Her hands ran down his arms, where her fingertips encountered plenty of bandaged cuts and slightly raised scars from their hundreds of other encounters. She continued, “You take injury after injury, and yet you do nothing but heal others. You come off the battlefield bleeding and limping, and yet you always tend to my wounds personally. You don’t have to do that, but you do.”

His lips opened to reject her sentiments, but Corrin wouldn’t have it. Her mouth descended upon his and kissed away his hesitation. His stifled words turned to moans as his arms recircled her waist. Pulling her flush against him, his palms flattened against her back as they bodied tumbled back against the pillows, gently this time. Corrin barely stopped kissing him long enough to breath before dotting more butterfly kisses across his lips, jaws, and cheeks. He reciprocated each soft, hurried touch until their mouths met again fully in a moment of kismet that caused both to still in each other arms. They relished in each other bodies, molded together completely in harmony, moving together in sultry concord. Flesh met flesh and hands intertwined until they were tangled together like one.

Corrin only parted away from him to stare back down into his eyes. There, she found traces of the romantic haze she enjoyed finding in his intimate glances. To her excessive glee, all traces of emotion had also vacated his expression. Instead, his face was a picture of surprise and lovesick reverence.

She couldn’t resist kissing him again, and Jakob obviously didn’t argue. He folded her back into his embrace and rolled against her fully, moaning into every touch and caress Corrin initiated with her hands and tongue.

After another minute or so, she retracted her lips to plant them against the throbbing pulse in his neck. He moaned as she continued to praise him, her lips like velvet against his throat.

“I love you too, Jakob,” she gasped, feeling him writhe beneath her body. The desperate motion only added to the thrill building inside her. It was truly unfortunate that they were so gravely injured and couldn’t truly act on their arousal.

Instead, she continued, “You continue to see me at my worst, most grievous moments of injury, but you never leave my side. Anybody would be reeling from such trauma, and yet you stay strong through it all. You’ve always been so strong, ever since we were kids. You’re like my boulder while I’m being tossed in the waves of this horrifying war. You keep me steady and grounded. That’s why we all need you here. I need you, too.”

He scoffed at her praise this time. “You don’t need me, Corrin. I’m the only who needs you. If you weren’t with me, then I don’t…”

She beamed down at him softly and let a sigh plume from her slightly reddened lips. He was as stubborn as he was strong, and she was becoming more and more aware that perhaps she had more in common with that stubborn streak than she ever realized.

Her fingers reached up to gently play with his long bangs, which had become splayed across his face during their multiple kisses.

“I suppose we’ll never know how our lives would have changed if we’d drifted apart,” Corrin posed, thinking back on all the years of their childhood they’d spent side by side. “I don’t know what the future holds, but I know that I’ve loved the life I’ve lived with you and that I want to live every second fully by your side.”

She bit into her lips again and offered him a careful shrug. “Is…that enough?”

He let out a laugh. Corrin thought at first it was perhaps a sound of realization, but it was loud enough to make Corrin think he found genuine humor in her statement. It wasn’t until his hand coasted up the back up her neck to gently guide her head back into his palm. When she obliged, he dipped his head down and placed another searing kiss on her lips that made her spine snap taut and her hands rise to his hair.

“It’s more than enough,” he purred against her mouth, tickling her into another bout of laughter.

He growled at the sound of her happiness and tackled her, albeit incredibly gently, back onto the bed. There, he pulled her close against his thudding heartbeat, so she could feel just how much of an effect her laughter and sincere joy had on him.

“So, am I forgiven?” she asked him, already knowing the answer as she laid her head against his torso.

Jakob rolled his eyes and nodded. “As long as you forgive me as well.”

They sealed the end of their argument with an embrace that would have been much more passionate had it not been for the damned bandages. Neither party seemed to mourn the loss too much, because their lack of amorous resolution at the moment just meant they would have to make up for lost time in the future. Such a concept was hardly an issue for either of them.

“Well, now that we’re both patched up, how about I make us something to eat?” Jakob posed as he poked the tip of her nose gently. He eased out from beneath her, much to her chagrin, and crossed the room to the wardrobe to grab a shirt. “You must be famished, after all.”

_“In more way that one,”_ Corrin wanted to say, but bit her tongue.

“It’s a shame we don’t live alone,” she said with a disappointed sigh. She also hoisted herself up from the bed and went to grab some clothes. A simple dress and shoes would do for the remained of the evening, no doubt.

“Why is that?” Jakob asked, pretending as is he was oblivious to how she was ogling his bare chest. She slapped him playfully and helped fasten the buttons of his shirt while he worked to tie back his undone hair.

“It’s just a shame to cover up such a nice view,” she mourned, stealing one more peek at his toned chest before she buttoned the chemise to his neckline. “Ah, well. All the other ladies and gentlemen in this camp would be too jealous of me if they saw you walking around shirtless anyway.”

“Corrin, please.”

“I’ll just have to wait until we live along to hide all your tops,” she teased wickedly.

He sighed loudly, creating a rumble in his chest that made Corrin’s fingers tingle with delight. Jakob finished fastening his hair with a quick synch of a ribbon before tousling her wild hair in absolute adoration. “You are absolutely, positively, indubitably insufferable, my love.”

“Are you complaining?” she asked, tossing her hair back and over her shoulders as she flashed a daring smile back up at him.

“I wouldn’t dare,” he quipped with a wide grin. With a nudge, he directed her to the door to their bedchamber. By now, it was late into the evening and most of their encampment in the astral plane had winded down. They would have to be quiet as they padded down to the kitchen.

“What would you like to eat, dear?” he asked her, pushing his sleeves past his elbows as they walked. “Whatever you choose, I’ll make extra for the others as well.”

The question elicited deep pondering from the princess. 

“How about some cookies?” Corrin suggested. She knew they had an abundance of flour in their camp thanks to the fields their troops tended to every day. Somehow, the fields had always been spared destruction by any invading troops and were an ongoing source of many bountiful, carb-heavy treats. It was both a blessing and a curse.

“Cookies?” he asked incredulously.

“Oh, sorry,” she said, clearing her throat before assuming a mock accent. “How about some _biscuits?_ ”

His hand batted her shoulder in playful retribution for her easy jab at his vernacular. “You know what I mean. Are you certain you don’t want something more filling instead?”

The suggestion made her stomach grumble as she realized with a blush that he had an excellent point. The sound reaffirmed Jakob’s suspicions and he offered her a light chuckle.

“I am capable of cooking multiple things,” he reminded her pointedly. “In fact, I think that may be a better idea. How about I make some stew for a late dinner and some cookies for dessert? I’ll put the extra away for the others to enjoy in the mess hall when they have time.”

The sentiment made Corrin’s blood run warm with thankfulness. “That sounds lovely. That is, as long as you don’t mind. Would I be able to help you?”

“I would enjoy nothing more,” Jakob replied, exchanging another loving glance with her. The edges of Corrin’s sanguine eyes crinkled in delight as she reached down. He fingers ghosted down Jakob’s bare forearm until they reached his hand. There, she slid her fingers between the spaces of his, creating a perfect fit.

She tipped her head and asked sweetly, “Shall we, then?”

The two continued their stroll down the corridor hand-in-hand, leaving their all traces of their heated argument behind them to dissipate like smoke in a zephyr.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just noticed something that you guys have probably already made a note of.  
> One of my favorite things to include in fics is …beds. Characters sleeping in bed. Characters sitting on beds. Characters kissing in beds. Characters doing…other things in beds.
> 
> If there’s a bed (or a mention of sugar cookies) in a fic, it might be mine. 
> 
> Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this fic! Special thanks to the anon that requested this prompt! I’m sending you lots of love. Another big thank you again to everyone who read this fic all the way to the end. I really appreciate it.
> 
> Love you guys! I’ll see you soon.


	4. Sterling Treatment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corrin and Jakob reflect on how the war has changed them, and how they've changed each other. [Based off a prompt by and-i-will-love-him-for-life on Tumblr.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was a request by and-i-will-love-him-for-life on Tumblr! 
> 
> The prompt was for a fic based off the My Room dialogue, "Do other guests receive the same sterling treatment?"
> 
> I honestly loved the dubbed version of the Jakob’s My Room dialogue, so seeing one of the lines as a suggestion for a prompt makes me so excited. Thank you so much for the amazing suggestion!  
> I hope you enjoy!

Upon wrapping up his butler duties in both the kitchen and in the infirmary, Jakob proceeded to make a beeline back to his private bedroom. The bitter cold of the winter season had already set in, and although he found the drop in temperature to be refreshing overall, he would have rather enjoyed the chilly evening much more alone with his closest companion, now wife, in their room.

Jakob walked briskly across the citadel's courtyard until he reached the fort’s treehouse. He wanted to try and beat Corrin back to their chamber so he could make some hot tea or surprise her with a crackling fire. No doubt she would need it after working with the troops all day out in the cold. He wanted to surprise her after a long day with some much-needed warmth.

Just as he mounted the stairs and ascended them at the fastest pace his long legs could maintain, he caught sight of a familiar face peering at him from their bedroom window. The face flashed him a beautiful smile that would have put goddesses to shame, and Jakob somehow managed to walk even faster than he had been before.

Upon entering the building and nearly flinging the door open, he saw Corrin standing at their open bedroom door. The pale-haired warlord was leaning against it expectantly with her hands fastened behind her back. A coquettish smile graced her regal visage. 

His cheeks flared as he drew closer.

“Ah, Lady Corrin!” he said, smiling brightly at his wife’s presence. They’d been married mere days before, and the dreamy happiness he felt at finally being with the love of his life had failed to ebb. He doubted it ever would.

“Ah, are you finished with your tasks?” he asked, tone noticeably chipper and pleasant compared to mere hours before. “I’m sorry I’m late. Please, allow me to get you some—”

The end of Jakob’s sentence was severed as Corrin stole his armored wrist in her hand and pulled him into their bedroom.

Once inside, she pushed him hard against the door and pressed her mouth to his. A gasp of surprise was ripped from Jakob's throat at the sudden gesture, but was smothered by Corrin as her hands held him firmly against the door, her arms and legs locking him into place beneath her. It took Jakob no time to melt into her embrace, jaw slackening against hers as they ground their mouths together in slow, methodical strokes. Their tongues rolled together, heavy and wet, as their bodies began to mimic the rhythm with gentle sways and thrusts. Corrin's thighs tightened as he continued to pin Jakob to the door, and Jakob relished in the power of her strong hands on his wrists and the sensation of her armored body pressed firmly against his uniform-clad body.

When they broke away, a laugh tumbled from Jakob's reddened lips. “Do…other guests receive the same _sterling_ treatment?”

She caught the emphasis of his words and leaned in to kiss the smugness off his face. Even at a time like this, he couldn’t resist making a side-comment. She set about remedying that with another, passionate kiss the immediately rendered him mostly silent. This time, her teeth gently pulled at his bottom lip, causing his words to melt into moans. Corrin swallowed each sound greedily as she ground their jaws together in soft, sensual abandon.

When they separated again for air, winded and dizzy, she offered him a lopsided grin.

“I’m afraid not,” she chuckled, smiling into the kiss. Her fingers extended up slowly to graze the cheekbones of his face, warm to the touch, until both her hands met behind his head to tangle in his starlight-colored hair. “You’re the only one, love.”

“It’s…quite a privilege,” he replied, his eyes a shade of deep lavender that reminder Corrin of a tranquil, winter dawn. She could have stared at his eyes forever.

Yet, when those same lavender orbs fluttered shut as leaned in for another kiss, Corrin wouldn’t have pulled away for anything else in the world. Seeing him take initiative and showcase his desire for her sent a thrill through her that made her head spin, her spine buzz, and heat pool in her lower belly.

When their lips touched, they were both gone.

Their jaws slid together over and over, only stopping intermittently when one longed to dot butterfly kisses across the other’s face. While Corrin softly grazed his jaw and cheeks, he worshiped her with gentle touches along her forehead and the delicate, skin of her eyelids.

Corrin’s voice, barely there, spoke up from their embrace.

“Jakob…?”

“Yes?” he asked, still breathless in her arms.

Her inhale was shaky before responding, “I know we’ve only been married a couple days, but…I’ve realized something.”

He cocked his head at her.

“What is that, my love?” he husked curiously.

Jakob’s head was still swimming with glee from just being near her. Every thought process in his brain was slowed from the sweet, syrupy effect of their romance.

“These past few days, I’ve realized how close we’ve been,” Corrin said, her voice cracking with emotion as she pressed her forehead to his collar. “Finally! After all these years, we don’t have to hide anything. I’ve seen the side of you the smiles with legitimate happiness. The side of you that isn’t afraid to kiss me or call me by my first name. The side of you that’s happy to be _here._ The side of you…that I always knew was there. Now, the whole world can see.”

For Jakob, it was the first time in his entire life that someone had rewarded him for being loving. Corrin had been the first person to show him kindness when he was a child. Now, as a grown man, he found solace in her embrace and reassurance that he could laugh or cry with her and she could reel away at his lack of purpose beyond menial labor.

“I’ve fallen even more in love with you than I was before,” she continued to confess. Her eyes darted to meet his. “I didn’t even think that was possible, but seeing you smile and run to me without worry, I’ve never felt happier in my entire life.”

Everything around him seemed to soar to life with sound and color. Sensations like the woodgrain of the door pressed to his back or the soft flickering light of the bedroom candles became loud components of a symphony surrounded him in a sensory and emotional cresendo, and Corrin was the conductor behind the rush. The sincerity of the confession and strength of her words served as further testimony as to why Jakob was absolutely, head over heels in love with her.

He searched desperately for words that would convey some semblance of the joy and love he felt for her. Even though he came up empty, he still attempted the effort with sincerity.

“You…never cease to render me speechless,” he admitted with a dry laugh. A deep, mauve blush colored his entire face, from the slender column of his neck and all the way back up to the tips of his ears. “Corrin…these past few days, I’ve realized something as well. Even in the midst of a terrible war, where resources have never been direr, I’ve never been more motivated to fight for something. To fight for _you_ , and your cause. And…to love you for the person you truly are. Not the princess locked in the fortress resigned to fate, but the warrior and queen I’ve seen you become.”

Slowly, he took one of her hand and overturned it. With gentle guidance, he pulled her hand up so he could place a kiss to her palm. Then, he closed her fingers over it and placed her hand over her chest, so he could kiss her heart.

“I’m yours, Corrin,” he vowed. “Not just now, in the middle of this war, but for the rest of our days together.”

Her entire being, from the depths of her soul to her rigidly thudding heart, softened at his revelation.

Jakob grinned at her. It wasn’t his usual, stiff-lipped smile that he always managed even in stressful situations.

It was his real smile. A smile that was so handsome and beautiful that Corrin almost didn’t want to smother it with another searing kiss. _Almost._

All it took was one more touch.

Then, just like that, they were both gone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hugs and kisses to everyone!  
> It’s been a fabulous year, and I hope you will all join me for even more Jokamu fluff in 2019. Buh-bye for now!


	5. Total Eclipse of the Heart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Felicia accidentally tells Jakob about Corrin's feelings for him. [Based on an anonymous Tumblr prompt request.]

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic is based off an anonymously submitted Tumblr prompt! The full request reads, "could i request a prompt where felicia accidentally tells jakob that corrin has feelings for him, and he's like secretly losing his mind all day (but like, wholesome mind losing? rated pg ***and*** i double dare you not to include a bed in it)?"
> 
> ANON YOU KNOW ME TOO WELL.  
> I love this idea a lot. Jakob is totally the type of person to fixate on certain things, especially where Corrin is concerned. It’s such an in-character scenario for him.
> 
> Thank you for the submission, anon! I hope you enjoy!

“I have no idea why Lady Corrin likes you so much, Jakob.”

Jakob ceased work immediately. The butler never stopped in the middle of completing a task, especially when he was working in tandem with other servants to finish chores, but Felicia’s casual statement made him freeze right on the spot.

“Lady Corrin…said that?’ he asked, lavender eyes flicking to the maid’s profile. His demeanor switched from apathetic to cagey, like a big cat being lured by a toy. He didn’t want to succumb to the temptation only for it to spring up and bop him on the nose.

After all, it was too good to be true.

People liking him? Unlikely. Corrin liking him? Impossible.

It was, right?

“She says it all the time,” Felicia asked as she straightened the sleeves of the chemise absentmindedly before folding it in a neat square. She was so focused on the repetitive task of trying to achieve symmetry that she barely paid attention to what words fell from her lips. “She always talks about you. About how nice you are and how good you are at your job.”

“Really?” he asked. His throat was suddenly as dry as the wastelands around the fortress. However, it didn’t take long for his usual indignation to diffuse his shock.

“I don’t believe you,” he harrumphed. “Although my service is positively exceptional compared to yours, that’s hardly enough to earn any praise.”

The pink-haired maid scrunched up her face at his words.

“Jakob, knowing how you are, why would I even waste my time lying about compliments?” she offered logically. “It’s not just your work either. One time, I was brushing Lady Corrin’s hair and dressing her after a bath, and she said she wouldn’t mind if you did it…instead…”

The gravity of Felicia’s words suddenly caught up to her brain. The maid dropped the blouse in a silk puddle on the bed and turned to face Jakob. Her face was ruddy from flushing in embarrassment.

“Oh no, she told me never to tell you that!” she panicked. “Jakob, I—”

By the time she’d diverted her attention away from the laundry, he was already out the door. Her next words were a terrified squeak.

“Oh no.”

* * *

Jakob blazed through the fortress's winding halls in a frenzy. The tapping of his heels against the stone floor was as fast and rhythmic as cascading sheets of hail or icy rain against the citadel’s mighty glass windows.

When he reached a staircase down to the cellar, he took them two at a time.

His footsteps ceased as soon as he was back in the peace and solitude of the servant’s quarters. Once there, he leaned against the closest wall and looked around to make sure that he was truly alone.

Only when the butler was certain that there wasn’t another soul around did he finally allow Felicia’s remarks to sink in.

Lady Corrin liked him, and if Felicia was telling the truth, it was possible that she liked him in a way a royal should never like their servant.

The man was shaking in equal parts elation and anxiety. Part of him wanted to yell to the heavens in pure excitement that the one person he held in high esteem, the one person he wanted to protect in the rotten and warring world around them, might have felt something for him. It made his chest thrum like a hummingbird’s wings. It was joy he’d never experienced. It was the welcome of being loved by someone, anyone, was something he’d never experienced before.

For once in his life, he actually _wanted_ to be closer to someone.

It was wonderful, and also terrifying.

Jakob knew how to lease interest and rent emotion. His entire life had been surmised of tallied losses and infrequent gains, and relationships were nothing more than transactions by which one lived or died. They were not for enjoyment. Such frivolity was not his privilege.

He could go on forever alone, as long as Corrin was safe and content. Her unwavering comfort was his highest priority.

However, if Corrin longed for his affection in return…that was another matter _entirely_. It elevated the situation from merely undesirable to unlivable.

“I have to quit,” he realized with a heart as heavy as lead. There was no other solution for the predicament other than to trim the bud before it bloomed.

There was always the possibility that Felicia had misunderstood the situation entirely. Normally, he would have jumped to the cruel conclusion immediately and investigated the concern more fully before making a decision as grievous as undebatable resignation. However, if Corrin really did harbor feelings for him in a capacity that was anything beyond cordial friendship at the very most, the punishment would be dire. For him, it would also be fatal.

The butler didn’t give a damn about himself. No, it was Corrin and her glass-like reputation that cared much more about.

The repercussions for any form of courtship would ruin her, and he loved her too much to let that happen. Jakob inhaled shakily and peeled his body away from the wall one vertebrae at a time.

Before he could change his mind, he marched toward Corrin’s bedchamber to giver her the news of his immediate resignation.

With each hurried step, he desperately hoped that Felicia was wrong.

* * *

A brisk knock at her bedroom door pulled the Corrin’s attention from her work. She veered her sanguine gaze to the door willingly, secretly thankful for the interruption from the mundane stack of paperwork. She let her relief manifest in the form of a light grin.

“Please, come in,” she beckoned as she placed her quill back in his’s inkwell and shook a cramp out of her hand.

When Jakob stepped into her bedroom, her light smile turned into a radiant grin that broke her face. All the hard lines of focus and exhaustion seemed to smooth. Her entire body seemed to decompress at the mere sight of his face.

The woman was up from her chair in a heartbeat to greet him. “Jakob! It’s so nice to see you.”

He twitched at her enthusiasm. All he could offer her was a watery, paper-thin smile that betrayed his true turmoil. “Please, pardon me for intruding.”

“It’s not an intrusion,” she said pleasantly as she stood from her desk. She crossed the room in long, confident strides. He watched her walk with the utmost admiration. No matter all the hellish turmoil she’d been through, the woman always held her head high with strength and surefire determination. Her power reminded him of a goddess’s. Corrin may have been naïve, but she was unshakable and courageous in the face of almost anything.

“Wait a moment…do my eyes deceive me?” she asked as she drew closer. She tucked her hands behind her back and teetered precariously on her tiptoes. With childlike curiously, she leaned forward to peer behind his back and look over his broad shoulders.

“W…What?” he asked, backing up half a step as she continued to examine him. “Is something wrong?”

“No, no, it’s just a pleasant surprise,” she replied with a musical laugh. “No tea or laundry? Goodness, Jakob, did you come here just for my company?”

Another twitch, this time more severe.

“I must confess, I did,” he whispered, before sighing loudly. “Lady Corrin, I’m so sorry, but I wanted to—”

“That makes me so happy,” the princess declared, and Jakob’s eyes snapped open. “That’s so sweet, Jakob. I was just hoping that I could have some company to take a break from work, and here you are! You always knew when I’m thinking of you, huh?”

I don’t deserve your praise, Jakob thought darkly.

“I…um…” he stammered, hating how fragile his voice sounded.

“Hm?” Corrin asked, blinking slowly at his unusually slow cadence. Thanks to his noble blood and servant’s upbringing, Jakob was never one to display hesitant or squeamish behavior. It was a strange sight for the princess to bear witness to. “Are you alright? Oh no…is something the matter?”

He paused and took a moment to take in her changing expression. The crease in her brow. The downward curve of her lips. The concern reflected in her oxblood eyes.

It was hard to think. He made one last attempt to gather the proper words and try to string them into his confession.

“Lady Corrin, I…”

Jakob had never allowed yourself to hope for anything or wish for anything. He’d reassigned himself to the shadows of servitude and the darkness of isolation.

Then, Corrin came into his life, and she was like a candle, illuminating the world with just her shining presence. She was light and he was the resulting shadow. They were opposites, and yet, they were joined by an inseparable force. One could not exist without the other.

They were linked, just like two childhood friends joined by a common fate.

“...Not at all,” he corrected. This time, the words came out as a ribbon of silky-smooth prose. “Nothing is amiss, Lady Corrin. That’s exactly why I came by. I’d love to spend some time talking with you. That is, if you’ll have me for a few minutes?”

A flicker of excitement replaced her apprehension.

“Hm…” Corrin hummed teasing him only briefly before she reached down to take his hand to pull him to a small table in the back of her room “I think I can block off some time in my schedule. As long as it’s for you.”

Her smile was like the dawn, and his was like the dusk. Mirror images against the unstoppable forces of night and day. They were held apart by the laws of the universe, and yet, their rotations were constant and paralleled. Both existed in harmony without issue.

Perhaps, one day, they would eclipse. It was a rare, but hardly impossible, occurrence. Even if they both stayed on their paths, perhaps they would converge one day. Then again, perhaps they wouldn’t.

It didn’t matter to him. Companions, lovers, or friends, Corrin was Corrin. He valued her.

Perhaps she did think of him as more than a butler, and perhaps he thought of her more as a princess. A title was a title, a name was a name, and love was love.

They would be fine, no matter what the universe had in store.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To the non-existent person out there wondering this, the itty-bitty RE2 reference was totally on purpose.
> 
> I hope you all enjoyed this fic! Thank you so much to the anon that requested this prompt! I hope I did your idea justice. <3


	6. Fever

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Corrin wakes with a fever and migraine. Thankfully, Jakob is there to ease her discomfort.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was also based off a Tumblr ask posted by [and-i-will-love-him-for-life!](http://and-i-will-love-him-for-life.tumblr.com/) The request read, "You've got a fever, of course I'm not leaving."
> 
> Thank you for such a lovely request! I put on some soothing music and went to town on this cute, fluffy oneshot. I hope you enjoy it!

She knew it wasn’t good.

Corrin barely had to crack her eyes open before she knew. Her head, usually sharp after restful sleep spurred by long hours of battlefield training, felt as if it was stuffed with cotton. The muscles in her legs and arms were weak, and her core felt like jelly as she tried in vain to prop her body up from the sweat-soaked sheets. Every millimeter of action felt slightly off-kilter and delayed, almost as if she was intoxicated.

At first, the princess figured fatigue from all their long bouts on the battlefield had finally gotten to her. Perhaps there was exhaustion that even dreamless sleep couldn’t cure, she thought hopefully.

Her optimism was dashed when a cough rose in her throat. The sensation of choking on scratching twigs gave her instant alarm.

_Oh no._

With a flustering amount of difficulty, she lifted one of her arms to press the backside of her hand to her forehead. Sure enough, the touch scalded her skin. She definitely had a fever, and it was a bad one.

Not completely convinced, she tried to swing her legs over the edge of the mattress to get out of bed.

With each step she took, a light flashed behind her eyelids and her head throbbed like logs were being broken across her skull.

Fever. Soreness. Migraine.

The pain literally knocked her off her feet. Seconds after standing up, Corrin felt a strident pang and was forced to recline back on her bed.

“Damn…” she husked. She tried again to sit upright in bed, cradling her forehead for the entirety of the short, upright journey.

Then, there was blackness.

* * *

She didn’t hear Jakob dropping the tea tray and rushing to her side upon entering her bedroom. She didn’t feel his hands, cold from his steel gauntlets, grab her bare shoulders and attempt to shake her awake. The princess was completely oblivious to how he mumbled apologies as he scooped her limp body, scalding and sweat-slicked, against his broad frame so he could slip her back into bed.

The next time Corrin opened her eyes, she was magically back her bed, which had been topped with a fresh comforter and fluffed pillows.

Before she could vocalize confusion, a familiar head of silver hair appeared in the corner of her vision.

“Lady Corrin, are you alright?” he asked from a chair beside her bed. "Oh, thank goodness you're awake."

For a moment, his face was upside down in her vision. It wasn’t until she tried to prop herself up that his face came into proper view. His eyes were wide and his hair, which was usually tied back from work, hung limply at the nape of his neck. Loose strands framed his face and the column of his neck. She was close enough to see the raging pulse that beat just beneath his skin.

“You shouldn’t try to move,” he said. He held her securely in his arms as he lowered her back onto the mattress as if her body was made of glass. “There we go. Tell me, how are you feeling?”

For a moment, she couldn’t respond. In addition to being in a state of relentless discomfort, she was also somewhat disturbed by how…undone Jakob seemed. It was unnatural to see her retainer, who was always poised and elegant, look so fearful.

“I’m…sick,” she said. Each world tumbled like a heavy rock from her lips. “Tired.”

At this, his tension appeared to break. A smile graced his features.

“I can see that,” he said. One of his hands shakily rose to grip his chest. “Gods, you nearly gave me a heart attack! I came by with your breakfast and found you collapsed on the floor. For a second, I thought…”

He swallowed and shook his head.

“…Let’s just say I feared the worst,” he said. For a moment, his accent nearly vanished from the sudden lowness of his voice. Each word rumbled deep in his chest.

Corrin’s heart clenched. Judging by his panicked expression and obvious alarm, he’d probably thought that she’d been the victim of some assassination attempt gone wrong. After all, she was far from the most adored person in the kingdoms of Hoshido and Nohr. It wasn’t too farfetched of a concern that she would become the victim of a fatal encounter. The fortress was already strapped for resources, and having a bodyguard watch over her every move was unfathomable.

She searched his face again, realizing the terror and guilt he must have felt.

“…But, when I put you into bed, I took your temperature and realized you were burning up,” he said as he reached down to unnecessary straighten the hem of her comforter. “You’re clearly ill, but you mustn’t fret. I’m already whipping up an entire stock of restorative stock in the kitchen. If your stomach feels strong enough, I can make you some porridge as well. Do you feel up to eating something, or would you prefer to go back to sleep?”

Both options sounded quite welcome to the woman. However, instead of choosing one, she gave him a weary look.

“I can’t stay in bed,” she told him as she tried to sit up again. “I have too much to do.”

“And everything get done,” Jakob said as he gently pushed her back on the bed. He spoke firmly, leaving no room for negotiation. “I'll see to that personally. You fainted, milady. I’m not letting you leave this bed until you’re well again.”

Even though he sounded authoritative, it was in her nature to be a stubborn leader. “But, I…”

“Do you not trust me?”

“No, of course I do!” she countered quickly.

“Then we agree,” he said simply. “You’ll stay in bed. The more you rest, the faster you’ll feel better.”

That was maddeningly sound logic that she couldn’t argue with.

Finally, she gathered the strength to string together another sentence.

“You really don’t have to stay,” Corrin said quietly as he eyes fell to the floor. Even as Jakob pulled the covers taut again to tuck her in, her sanguine eyes watched the floor. She awaited some kind of thankful response. Perhaps he'd sigh in relief and accept her offer, or maybe he'd even ask another servant to tend to her. With how busy he was, she wouldn't have blamed him.

Instead, he shook his head in disobedience.

“You have a fever,” Jakob rebutted promptly. “Of course, I’m not leaving.”

He paused for a moment, a guilty look eclipsing his earnest expression. “...At least, not for very long.”

When she tilted her head at him, he laughed. Not an aloof chuckle, but an actual sound of mirth.

“Don’t look so stunned,” he said as he lifted his arms over his head to smooth his hair back into its usual style. “I do have to leave to finish a few things. However, I’ll make sure that I handle your tasks personally to make sure they’re done perfectly. After I delegate the other servants and get you some food, I’m yours for the rest of the day.”

_Yours._

“Promise?” she asked, hating how childishly hopeful she sounded but too curious to care.

“Cross my heart,” he answered.

Corrin buried her face under the duvet cover in silent surrender. The fabric smelled of lilies and…myrrh? The aroma was unusual, but not entirely unpleasant. As she enjoyed the flowery aroma and gentle feel of the clean bedsheets, Jakob rose from the bed to begin his normal regimen of domestic tasks, plus Corrin’s daily duties as well. He strode across the room and grabbed his discarded jacket from one of the spare chairs. With a few skillful tugs, his broad shoulders effortlessly vanished beneath the folds of the restrictive material. All the while, she watched in fascination. She hadn’t even noticed he’s been addressing her in only his work trousers and linen shirt.

As soon as he was dressed, he turned to her and reproached her side of the bed. He wanted to close the distance between them so he could speak as softly as possible and not aggravate her headache.

 “I’ll bring you some broth and water soon, okay?” he said. Perhaps it was her imagination, but he almost looked remorseful for having to leave her, if only temporarily. “I’m also going to patrol the grounds, but I shouldn’t be out for too long. Just call if you need anything, just call. I’ll come running.”

It sounded like an exaggeration, but Corrin knew Jakob wasn’t lying. He would literally do everything in his power to assuage any possible concern she could concoct in her muddled brain. If she made a request, not only would he complete it, but the task would be executed with flawless excellence.

“Alright,” she said, the pain in her head already starting to ease. "I will."

"Promise?" he asked her, flashing her another handsome smile as she felt a grin of her own bloom across her face.

"Cross my heart," she whispered.

In typical fashion, he folded one of his arms in front of his torso and bent forward in a deep bow. However, before he could turn around and leave her, his body came to a sudden halt.

Corrin had reached out to take his hand.

Gently, he swayed back to her side and guided his eyes back to meet hers. She was certain her grip was sweaty and uncomfortably warm, but she didn’t care. Corrin peered up at him from beneath her pale lashes and said, “Thank you, Jakob. You’re the best.”

She watched as his lavender eyes shimmered like moonstones.

He gave her hand a squeeze.

“Only for you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ["I'm not leaving."]  
> [Immediately leaves.]  
> Writing is my passion.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you guys enjoyed this short oneshot! It was super fun to write, and honestly, any Jokamu request just fills my heart with joy. These two are just such a sweet couple. I can only hope I do them some kind of justice.
> 
> As always, you can also see these prompts posted on my Tumblr account, [romeo-and-antoinette.](http://romeo-and-antoinette.tumblr.com/)
> 
> Thank you all for reading! As always, I'm sending tons of hugs and kisses. Buh-bye for now!


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